How to Use Hot and Cold Packs to Treat Sprains

If you have a sprain, your ligaments have been stretched or torn. Sprains are most likely to affect your ankles, elbows, knees, and wrists. Even though sprains are generally considered a minor injury, they still cause painful bruising and swelling.

Hot and cold packs can work wonders on an area that is sprained. An ice pack will help reduce swelling, and will also alleviate pain with an analgesic effect. For the best results, you should use an ice pack as soon as you can after an injury occurs. You should aim to use an ice pack four to eight times a day, and for 20 minutes each session. However, you don’t want to leave a cold pack on for too long since doing so can result in tissue damage.

When you can place weight on or use the area you’ve injured, hot therapy will help boost blood circulation to your tight or tender muscles, and will help prepare your body for physical activity. A hot pack has the power to increase flexibility while decreasing pain. You should aim to leave a hot pack on the affected area for the doctor-recommended time of 20 minutes.

The THERA°PEARL Contour Pack is a reusable hot/cold pack that has adjustable straps, making it easy to treat sprained ankles, elbows, knees, and wrists. It is simple to target any area that is injured with the THERA°PEARL Sports Pack. If you have a sprained knee, the THERA°PEARL Knee Wrap will stay in place with its stretchable VELCRO® BRAND straps. Your body will thank you for treating it to the healing power of the gel-filled, pliable pearls.